Saturday, August 23, 2008

I took a birder from the UK around the famlands and grasslands of the northern Kiskunsag yesterday. His main "targets" were Great Bustard and Saker Falcon, and we succeeded in seeing both: around 20 Bustards and 2 Sakers. There were plenty of Rollers around, though the Red-footed Falcons had left their breeding areas. Red-backed Shrikes were everywhere! At the fish-ponds we saw Ferruginous Ducks and all kinds of herons, a Short-toed Eagle, numerous Marsh Harriers and a juvenile Montagu's Harrier. It was a hot day in late August and yet this area turned up the goodies one again!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

I am putting together another "Hungary in Late Winter" birding trip. I did this earlier this year and it was a great success. Next year it will run from February 19 – 22, 2009. That's from Thursday to Sunday: 4 days - 3 nights. We will visit Lake Tata, nearby fishponds and woods, and the grasslands of the Kiskunsag National Park. The main focus of this tour will be to search for wintering and migrating geese. We hope to see flocks of Greater White-fronted Goose, some of the endangered Lesser White-fronted Goose, both Tundra and Taiga Bean Geese and perhaps a few Red-breasted Geese, too. In addition there are also some special resident birds like Great Bustard, Saker Falcon, White-tailed Eagle, eight species of woodpecker including Syrian, Grey-headed and Black, and other winter visitors such as Rough-legged Buzzard and Great Grey Shrike. In most years Wallcreeper winters in stone quarries hereabouts and if this is the case we will visit the best site: on last year's trip we succeeded in seeing this fantastic bird! If you are interested in joining this trip... drop me a line.

Monday, August 18, 2008

I am back from the Birdwatching Fair in the UK. I met and/or bumped into lots of you and even had the odd Osprey Bitter (or whatever that warm, flat, ale was called) with some of you. I spent an hour or so each day on the Bradt stand signing my new book and guess what... they sold out of the stock they brought. Bradt were very happy! So thanks to everyone who bought it.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Perhaps I will bump into some of you at the BBW at Rutland Water. This is the world's first and largest international birdwatching event. I will be there all 3 days (Friday to Sunday). I will not have a fixed place, no stand, just going around, but you can catch up with me from time to time on the BRADT stand in Marquee 2 Stand 26. I will be signing my new book there several times over the weekend. See you soon.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Most regular readers of this blog will know that I have another blog entitled WOODPECKERS OF EUROPE and that I often post on it "quiz woodpecker" photos. Interest in this has tailed off recently... are they boring ? or too hard ? Come on, have a go, the birders amongst you can improve your woody ID skills! There are only 10 woodpecker species in Europe, so it should not be too difficult to get close... here is a recent sample on the left. Take a look... here is the link: http://woodpeckersofeurope.blogspot.com/

Saturday, August 2, 2008

So the Syrians have disappeared again... seems like it was just a brief visit to the garden the other day. But a Green Woodpecker came in yesterday, there was no mistaking its loud laughing call, the so-called "yaffle". Otherwise not much doing on the garden-bird front here... it is summer, hot and still.

Bio

Has been interested in birds, and all wildlife, for as long as he can remember. A very experienced European birding & wildlife guide he founded Probirder (www.probirder.com) a guiding service for birders visiting C & E Europe over 20 years ago. His knowledge of the birding sites of the region is second to none, having visited every country from the Baltic in the north to the Black Sea in the south. He is also a widely published author (books listed above). His main ornithological interest focuses on the Picidae (woodpeckers). He is author of the acclaimed handbook Woodpeckers of Europe and also The Black Woodpecker - A monograph on Dryocopus martius. He also maintains blogs on the European species and all world woodpeckers. Gerard has traveled to 5 continents in search of picids and his book WOODPECKERS OF THE WORLD - The Complete Guide, was published in June 2014.